EXHIBITS

Dec. 1 – 31. Thomas Balch Library Mercer Room Exhibit: “Black Resistance: Delegates of the 1883 Mass Meeting.” First reported in the May 17, 1883 edition of The Mirror, the “1883 Mass Meeting” resulted in seventeen delegates from Loudoun’s black communities petitioning Judge James B. McCabe for civil rights guaranteed by the 14th and 15th Amendments. The exhibit showcases how these men – political, economic, educational, and spiritual leaders – resisted Jim Crow conditions imposed on them by advocating for their civil rights, forming supportive communities, and inspiring future generations of Loudoun leaders. Local historian Donna Bohanon incorporates concepts from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s theme “Black Resistance” to explore the unique history of Loudoun’s black communities as represented by the seventeen men. (Two men from Lovettsville, Joseph Rivers and Henry Howard were among the delegates; Howard is buried in Mount Sinai Cemetery.) The exhibit will be on display through December 30. It can be viewed during the library’s operating hours: Monday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Please note, the library is closed for lunch, from 12 to 1 p.m., on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Thomas Balch Library, 208 W Market St., Leesburg. Call 703-737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva.gov for more information.
 

LECTURES, SEMINARS, TOURS & OTHER EVENTS (mostly free)

Fri., Dec. 2, at 12:00 noon -- “Mutiny at Sea: Death and Destruction on USS Somers.” (in-person and virtual). Presented by John V. Quarstein, Director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center. The brig USS Somers was built in 1842 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and almost immediately became known as a ‘hard luck ship.’ During its second voyage, captained by Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, there was an attempted mutiny. The ringleader, Midshipman Philip Spencer, and two others were found guilty. Even though the midshipman’s father was Secretary of War John Spencer, young Spencer and his cohorts were hanged from the yardarm of Somers. This incident created quite a sensation – Herman Melville based part of his novel Billy Budd on this mutiny. When USS Somers was serving off Vera Cruz in 1848 during the Mexican War, the ship capsized during a fierce storm. Raphael Semmes and his cabin mate, John Winslow, both survived. Fourteen years later, they would meet again as antagonists off Cherbourg, France. This lecture is livestreamed and free to watch online. Register to Attend Virtually.

Sat., Dec. 3, at 6:15 p.m. -- Lovettsville Lantern Parade. Make this German custom part of your family's holiday tradition! Meet at the Lovettsville Community Center with your own lantern and then walk-through town to the Town Square for WintertainmentFest (refreshments, a community sing-along, and the tree lighting). Or meet at the Community Center at 5:15 for a lantern-making workshop; $10 fee. Sponsored by the Town of Lovettsville and the Lovettsville Community Center. Please call 540-822-5284 or 540-822-5788 for more information. Location: Lovettsville Community Center.

Fri., Dec. 9, at 6:00 p.m. -- Culture & Cocktails: National Road in Maryland. Quench your thirst for knowledge with the Washington County Historical Society! Built between 1811 and 1834, the National Road was the first major federally funded highway in the United States. It crossed Washington County’s rivers and streams at several key points, allowing for the transportation of local goods to and from Baltimore and points West. On Friday, December 9, join us in welcoming Dr. Bob Savitt for an exploration into the history of the National Road in Maryland! Tickets $5 - $15. Miller House Museum, 135 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD 21740. Website. 301-797-8782.

Sat., Dec. 10 – Frederick County Museums by Candlelight. Once a year, Frederick County’s numerous historic sites and museums provide visitors with a living reminder of this area's remarkable past. During Museums by Candlelight, special programming and hands-on fun will delight visitors of all ages, and special children's activities are featured at most locations. This is a FREE self-guided event. Visit many locations, or just a few, in any order. Enjoy period demonstrations, living history vignettes, hands-on crafts, refreshments, tours, music, holiday decorations and historic settings by candlelight as night falls. For more information, go here or call 301-600-4047.

Sat., Dec. 10, at 2:30 p.m. -- “The Upper Potomac in the Civil War:” A Tour of Garnet Jex Paintings, sponsored by the Harpers Ferry Civil War Round Table and the Shepherdstown Historical Society. Garnet Jex (1895-1979) was an American artist and historian who lived and worked in Washington, DC, nearly his whole life. He was highly renowned for his landscape paintings of the Potomac River and the C&O Canal.  Jex’s Civil War series, owned by the Sharpsburg Historical Society, have not been displayed publicly since 2012, when they were exhibited as part of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. Meet at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 209 West Main Street, Sharpsburg, MD. There will be a short lecture at the start of the program about Jex and the paintings. The event is free and open to the public.  Parking is available near the church on Main Street. The program will be in the community building at the rear of the church.  Reserve your place by email to ccraig@laurellodge.com.

Sun., Dec. 11, at 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. -- Hillsboro Homes Walking Tour: A guided walking tour of five historic properties along Hillsboro’s Main Street decorated for the holiday season. Live performances along the tour route. Tours leave The Old Stone School every 20 minutes starting at noon. Tickets are limited. For ticket information go here. The tours are being organized by the Hillsboro Preservation Foundation and members of the community in conjunction with the weekend-long Hillsboro Christmas Market, which will be open Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Dec. 11 from 1 to 5 p.m. and will feature a variety of local vendors.

Sun., Dec. 11, at 2:00 p.m. -- Friends of Thomas Balch Library Annual Meeting. Friends of the Thomas Balch Library will hold its 26^th Annual Meeting and Election of Officers on Sunday, 11 December, at Thomas Balch Library beginning at 2 PM. This year’s program will be “Oral History Series: Interview with Wynne Saffer” presented by Patty Renner-Rogers, Sarah Huntington, and Rich Gillespie. (Snow date Sunday, 8 January 2023) Thomas Balch Library, 208 W. Market Street, Leesburg, VA 703-737-7195.

Tues., Dec. 13, at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM -- Virtual Museum Tour Series: American Museum of Natural History (Online). From its iconic blue whale and Tyrannosaurus Rex to its collection of dazzling diamonds, the American Museum of Natural History has become one of the leaders in scientific research, education and exhibitions. Learn about its founding as Marisa Horowitz-Jaffe offers you a virtual tour of its building and some of its more than 35 million specimens. Horowitz-Jaffe has been teaching, studying and living ancient history for over 25 years with degrees in Egyptology, Roman Archaeology and Art and Museum Education. Use this link to participate. The link will become active beginning at the start time listed for this program. Meeting ID: 788 157 6405. Passcode: 028182. Sponsored by Loudoun County Public Library.

Thurs., Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. -- Historians on Tap: Hoppy Holidays. The Historians on Tap will be spreading the Christmas spirit with a selection of entertaining stories of Christmases past. Grab a cup of cheer and join us - Ugly sweaters are encouraged! This event is free and open to the public. 21+ please. Lost Barrel Brewing, 36138 John Mosby Highway, Middleburg, Virginia.

Thurs., Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. -- “All My Bright Hopes of the Future are Blasted: Dangerfield Newby’s Fight for Freedom.” The Hagerstown Civil War Round Table will be featuring a talk by Jon-Erik Gilot.  Dangerfield Newby, (ca. 1820-1859) a free mulatto, was the first of John Brown’s raiders killed during the attack on Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859. He was the eldest child of Henry Newby and a slave, Elsey. In 1858, Henry Newby moved with Elsey and their children, including Dangerfield, to Bridgeport, Ohio, and freed them. Dangerfield Newby tried to buy his own wife, Harriet, and their children, who were enslaved in Prince William County, Virginia, but failed. He joined John Brown’s raiders, hoping that a successful attack on Harpers Ferry would somehow free them. Newby killed two residents before he was shot and killed near the U.S. Arsenal. The event is at Homewood Suites, 1650 Pullman Lane, Hagerstown. Optional dinner at 6:30 pm, open to non-members as well as members ($30, reservations required by December 8) and the talk at 7:30 pm is $5 for non-members, both payable at the meeting. For more information visit https://sites.google.com/view/hagerstowncwrt/home, search for: Hagerstown Civil War Round Table, email hagerstowncwrt@gmail.com, or call Dennis Graham at 240 625 4216.

Sat., Dec. 17, at 2:00 p.m. -- Christmas and the Civil War. Join us at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in the Delaplaine Randall Conference Room as Museum Docent Brad Stone details the history behind the celebration of Christmas during the Civil War. The Civil War shaped the way we celebrate the holiday season in the United States in surprising ways. One of the most surprising is the depiction of Santa Claus, as Civil War era illustrator Thomas Nast toyed with images of the jolly elf during the conflict that evolved into the Santa we know today in the United States. The presentation is included with admission to the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and FREE for NMCWM members. 48 East Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701. For more information, visit website or call 301-695-1864.

Thurs., Dec. 29, at 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. -- Virtual Museum Tour Series: Louvre (Online). The Louvre is a Parisian historic landmark and one of the world's most visited museums. Art historian Marisa Horowitz-Jaffe gives you a virtual look inside its most celebrated treasures and talks about the fascinating architectural history of the pre-museum building. Horowitz-Jaffe has been teaching, studying and living ancient history for over 25 years with degrees in Egyptology, Roman Archaeology and Art and Museum Education. Use this link to participate. The link will become active beginning at the start time listed for this program. Meeting ID: 788 157 6405. Passcode: 028182. Sponsored by Loudoun County Public Library.

Fri., Dec. 30, at 12:00 noon -- Livestreamed Civil War Lecture: Sinking of USS Monitor. Join us as author and historian John V. Quarstein, director emeritus of the USS Monitor Center, concludes the year with a presentation on the remaining days of USS Monitor. Viewers are welcome to send comments or questions to John through the Chat and Q&A boxes, and he will answer following the lecture. This lecture is free to watch and you do not need a Zoom account to participate. After you have completed your registration, you will receive a confirmation email that will include the link to use on the day of the lecture. Be sure to save it! Advance registration is required. For additional assistance, questions or support, please contact guestrelations@MarinersMuseum.org.